Starting Over
by Rainbow Gumboots
Summary: After Candace finds herself at her Aunt's doorstep in Mineral Town, she becomes determined to forget about her life on Waffle Island. But starting afresh is a lot harder than she bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, I posted this story idea previously but it was a hot mess and I ended up taking it down. This is the totally revised version, I hope you like it.**

**Also I'm in need of a Beta if anyone wants to take me on. :)**

Dust flew up from the ground as Popuri ran across the yard throwing handfuls of seed every-which-way, several fluffed up white hens chased along behind her, scrambling to hog the feed from each other.

"Feed the chickens; Check!" She huffed, piling the last bits of feed onto the ground before running into the house to start on dinner.

She glanced at the recipe curiously for the third time. The amount of salt it called for was questionable, as was a good number of ingredients.

Tieing up her bubble-gum pink hair, she set to work ferverously mixing a thick batter that threatened to keep her whisk hostage in its thick goo. She hummed a loud tune while slicing vegetables to add to the concoction, dancing across the kitchen to grab another pepper. Finally she'd tamed the mix enough to move it into a large ceramic pot that was to be put into the oven.

Tidying up the room, dinner was ready to be served just as Lilia and Rick walked into the house.

The two were arguing lightly about Lilia's health. She was insistent that her condition wasn't worth medical treatment anymore, while Rick was upset that she wasn't even trying to get better anymore. Fights always came down to one thing in this household, and that was the fact the Rod had left them.

"Dinner's ready!" Popuri called out loudly as the topic of their father started to creep up.

Coughing awkwardly, Rick helped lower Lilia into her seat before taking a seat himself. Both smiled, they weren't mad, only worried.

Pots clanged in the kitchen as Popuri whirled around to the far side of the table. She placed the steaming dish in the center of the table.

"Voila!" She cheered as she whipped off the lid. A cloud of steam blew up into their faces, the thick musky scent of damp, dirty, clothing filled the air.

Rick peered into the pot, his nose scrunched at the sight of the burnt goo stuck to the dish. It bubbled dangerously when he poked it with his fork.

"Rick!" Lilia scolded her son for playing with his food.

"What is this? It looks disgusting," he looked to Popuri, confused about the lack of appeal her cooking suddenly took.

She shrugged her shoulders, even she couldn't stomach the look of the meal. "It was Karen's recipe." She answered in defense.

At that Lilia smiled. Rick burst into laughter.

"What did I warn you about her cooking?" He laughed heartily as his sister's expression twisted in thought.

"Karen's great, but she can't cook to save her life," he answered for her, grinning at the thought of the brown haired girl anywhere near a kitchen.

"Let's eat out tonight, my treat," Rick suggested, getting up without waiting for an answer. Popuri threw her apron onto the table and grabbed her mother's hand, helping her up and out of her chair.

The small family made there way along the empty streets until they arrived at the Inn. The tan brick walls were faded and chipped in areas, but the cozy atmosphere and home-like feel of the place made the whole town attracted to it, like moths to a hazy candle light.

Rick brushed back his dusty brown hair with his hand, helping a sleepy Lilia into a warn out wooden chair. Within seconds of their arrival Ann had appeared at their elbows, ready to take orders.

The petite red-head brought around a tray of water to start them off. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?" She asked, mainly to Rick.

"Karen." Popuri answered stiffly, still miffed about the failed recipe.

Ann grinned at this, "Well, I haven't seen her yet. But you know Karen, she's always late." She winked and Rick, who in turn turned crimson red.

"No, we- uhmm a, we're here because dinner burnt dinner," Rick fumbled, still red in the face. "Karen won't be coming," he said again through gritted teeth.

Ann laughed and walked away to get their food. She returned shortly with a tray of steaming dishes. The succulent smell of glazed ham and dinner rolls drifted by.

"Mmmm... Now that's what I call a meal." Rick sighed, eyes glued to his plate as Ann set it in front of him smirking.

Popuri crossed her arms. "My meal wasn't _that_ bad." She whined.

Rick rose an eyebrow.

"Kia would've like it." She smirked.

Rick choked on his food, setting his sister with a fierce glare. "Don't bring him up-," He started to rant angrily. "There is no way-" He was cut off by a tug at his sleeve.

"Rick, I'm feeling really tired. Could you to maybe pack up and eat at home?" Lilia asked, breaking up the scene. She fixed her son with a look that said 'Don't make me ground you two again.'

Rick sighed, disengaging himself from the argument. "Sure, I'm a little tired myself." He muttered, helping Lilia up again as Popuri went to pay.

They stepped out into a purple, starless night sky, rain splattered down onto their heads.

Popuri squealed, running to get out of the rain. Lilia leaned heavily on Rick as they slowly made their way home.

The two watched as Popuri suddenly froze in the middle of the drive way. She was squinting at something in the dark.

She let out a loud squeak, this time not because of the icy rain. Quickly she ran back to where Rick and her Mum were lagging behind.

"Rick!" She whispers hoarsely. "There's something on the porch! I think it's a bandit!" she cried, her imagination getting the best of her.

Rick froze, grabbing his sister's shoulders. "What did it look like?" He questioned her.

She sniffed. "I don't know. Scary." She offered weakly.

"It's probably a wolf trying to get at the chickens." Rick slapped himself on the forehead, he broke into a run towards the house.

He grabbed a broom leaning against the shed and made his way towards the house. He could see a large blob leaning against the front door. It moved slowly in a sickening manner, slowly rising up.

He stumbled, that was definitely not a wild dog. Hesitantly he rose his brittle weapon above his head, bringing it down hard with a thud onto the thing.

The creature yelped. Two small white hands emerged from the black. It grabbed onto its head with a moan.

Startled, Rick realized that it was a person. A person wrapped up in a thick black blanket. A person that he just whacked with a broom.

"Oops." Rick muttered meekly.

"R-Rick? I-is that you?" The person asked, emerging from the blanket. It was a small girl with baby blue hair. Her face was streaked with tears and her lip quivered as she spoke. "I t-thought you guys w-would never come h-home." She stuttered nervously.

Rick stared blankly at the girl. She had to be around his age. And where had he heard that stutter before?

"Candace?" He asked, realization hitting him like a bucket of cold water. The girl nodded her head in a robotic movement. Rick sighed, "What are you doing here?" He asked his younger cousin, who blushed in return.

"I-I n-needed somewhere to stay.." She mumbled so quietly that Rick almost had to ask her to repeat.

Rick nodded in understanding, even though he had no understanding of the situation at all. Candace had never been one to be bold or daring. She didn't fight with her grandmother and she most definitely did not run away. But why else would she be sitting outside his front door?

Rick offered her his hand, lifting her up onto her feet in one swift movement. She wobbled slightly before regaining her balance.

"After you." He opened the door for her, calling Lilia and Popuri over his shoulder.

The two pink haired girls of Mineral Town tottered into the house. Lilia paused mid-yawn upon spotting Candace settled down near the fireplace.

The two stared at each other. Lilia's fine features crinkling in confusion, while Candace averted her eyes shyly.

"Rick...?" Lilia glanced at her son. "Is that... Is she really?" She broke off, cradling her head in her hands.

Rick stroked his mother's hair. "She was sitting on the doorstep waiting for us." He explained quietly. She looked at Candace again as if she'd seen a ghost.

"You're a lot like you Mum." Lilia finally said, eye's burning holes into the dying fire. Candace blinked, looking up at her Auntie.

"And it's not just because of your hair." She added, standing up.

Rick stood with her, automatically grabbing out to steady her.

She looked softly at her niece. Dried tears stained her cheeks, her small hands clenched and unclentched slowly.

"I'm not going to send you home. At least not yet," she sighed, inwardly yelling at herself. She brushed her hair back.

Candace gave her a peculiar look for the secound time that evening.

"Popuri can show you to the guest room and get you something to eat. Do you like tea? We've got lots," Lilia said, moving towards the stairs. "But we'll need to continue this in the morning, my head can't take another thought," She let Rick help her up the first couple of stairs towards her room as she covered another yawn with her hand.

The two were soon out of sight, leaving the two girls to themselves. Popuri openly gawked at Candace, looking like she was about to explode.

Candace gave her a small smile, more of a twitch of the lip really. Popuri let loose.

"When did you get here? Why are you here? Your hair is so long? Are you hungry? You look hungry. How long are you staying? Do you still sew? Where's Luna? Are you tired? Here I'll show you your room!" She managed to verbalize every thought in a single breathe.

Before Candace could answer even one of the pink haired girl's questions, she was pulled up off the floor and dragged towards another room down the hall.

Popuri had an iron grip and fighting her was like fighting a bulldozer.

"Well, this is your room now," she cried giddily, swinging open the door to reveal a fairly plain bedroom. It had one nightstand with a small lamp resting on it. The bed was messily dressed in grey.

Candace smiled despite herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2! Sorry for my lack of updating... I warned you all. I'm slow.**

Candace lazily opened her eyes. The bright lights that had broken past the curtains suggested morning, although the clock beside her bed stated otherwise. With a low moan, Candace rolled out of bed, folding the sheets behind her.

She opened the door quietly, tiptoeing back down the hallway that Popuri had dragged her down the other night. She poked her head into the main living room, half relieved to discover it abandoned.

She walked the circumference of the room, admiring each photo that lined it's walls. She paused by one old photo of Luna and Popuri curled up in a quilt together, laughing at something outside of the picture. She trailed her hand down the frame, missing her sister more than ever. But wasn't it she that caused her to leave? Suddenly the loud whack of a door closing startled her, she looked up to see Rick standing in the front door, looking at her curiously.

"I-I was just, ahh, looking," She murmured, pulling her hand back down to her side. Turning red around the ears, "I-I thought I w-was the first up."

Rick didn't comment, "Are you hungry." He didn't ask it as a question as he moved to the kitchen, pulling a carton of eggs from the fridge. "Popuri's outside, Lillia's still in bed." He pulled out the frying pan. Candace nodded her head, sitting down at the table to watch her cousin cook.

"I've got to run down to Gotz's today, a wild dog broke the fence around the coops last night. You can come," Rick continued, finally turning to look to Candace for her opinion in the matter.

She nodded her. "Okay." She didn't meet his eyes.

Rick sighed, rubbing his face, "Okay what? Okay yes you'll come?" Candace nodded again. Rick laughed. "You're worse than when you were little," He sighed, placing a plate of scrambled eggs in front of her.

Candace's lip twisted upwards slightly at that. She laughed lightly, "W-well, I try." She made an attempt at a joke. Rick rose a brow.

"Eat up and change, we've got places to be." He ruffled her hair as he walked by.

Candace scooped the last of the food into her mouth an ran back to her room. She rummaged through her bag, pulling out a fresh skirt and cardigan. Her sister would be mortified in the outfits lack of style, let alone shape. She shrugged, shimmying into her clothes. Maybe she should have brought nicer clothes? Make a good first impression on these people. She shook her head, she had later to make good impressions.

Tucking her coin purse into her pocket, she flew back out of the room, nearly crashing into Rick who was waiting for her. "Oops," She stammered. Rick brushed it off, opening the front door for her.

The two made their way out of the lot, turning right down a path through the forest. They walked in silence most of the way, Rick having one way conversations as he pointed out things Candace might have remembered as a child, such as old trails, and places they used to make forts at.

Candace nodded and murmured approvingly as they made their way, although she kept the corner of her eye concentrated on the forest. She didn't remember it being that dark. She couldn't say she wasn't relieved when Rick pointed out the Carpenter's house, tucked away in between trees.

They pushed the heavy oak door open to reveal the most disgruntled look house. It was fairly empty, floor covered in sawdust, and the biggest man Candace had ever seen sat behind an equally large counter.

"Oh, Rick." Gotz inclined his head to the two as they entered. Rick waved, walking up to the counter to discuss their repair needs. Candace's eyes wandered around the room. Sketches and drafts lay on his table, wood samples were stacked in the corner. There were only two photo frames, each held a picture of a girl. One young, just older than a child. And the other, possibly his wife?

She looked at the floor plan for a house that was on the top of the pile. Two floors by the look of it, cozy, but with ample space.

"Okay, Rick. One repair, that'll be-"

"And a house!" Candace looked up from the sketches, not meeting Rick's shocked gaze. "I-I'd like to p-place an order for a house," She fumbled with her coin bag, pulling out more gold coins than her small purse looked to hold.

"Do you have land?" Gotz asked gruffly, eying Candace incredulously.

She tugged on the end of her sleeve. "N-no, not yet. But What a-about that plot across from the P-poultry farm?" She asked, "I-I have enough money." She assured him, turning red around the ears.

"Candace..." Rick sighed, shaking his head. "Let's go. We can talk about this later." He grabbed her wrist, leading her towards the door.

"No!" Candace cried shrilly, shaking her arm free. She lilted over to the counter, placing her bag of coins down with a metallic rattle. "One house, please. Shop on the bottom, h-home space on top." She instructed nervously, butterflies in her stomach. "L-like your sketches over t-there." She pointed to the table.

Gotz ran a hand through his hair, pulling Candace's bag of coins up and tucking it beneath the counter. "You've got yourself a deal, Miss." He made a noise that she assumed was a laugh. "I'll talk with Thomas about the land for you." Candace blushed red, thanking him profusely. "Don't worry about a thing." He said, ushering the two out of his shop.

"T-Thank you!" Candace called over her shoulder as Rick dragged her away.

They made there way half way back before Rick stopped in his steps, his face was bright red. Steam might as well have been pouring out of his ears. "What do you think you're doing!" He snapped at her, "You can't just go around building houses! You don't live here!" His eyes bulged.

Candace took an uneasy step back.

"Were you not going to ask us about it? Talk with Lillia about it at least?" He stormed, "What about Shelly and Luna?" He looked at her, "Don't you have anything to say?"

"I-I didn't c-come to visit." Candace stuttered out, unsure of herself. "I'm g-going to live here." Her eye's started watering. "L-let's just get back." She ran past him, staring at her feet.

Rick shook his head. What was he going to tell Lillia?


End file.
